In Dirt to Soil, Gabe Brown tells the story of his ranch's amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to our most pressing and complex contemporary agricultural challenge - restoring the soil. The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over 20 years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil.

5 out of 5 stars

A very important book!

By
Vas
on
12-15-18

The One-Straw Revolution

An Introduction to Natural Farming

By:
Masanobu Fukuoka,
Larry Korn

Narrated by:
David Shih

Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
121

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
112

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
110

Call it "Zen and the Art of Farming" or a "Little Green Book", Masanobu Fukuoka's manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food. At the same time, it is a spiritual memoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects a deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. As Wendell Berry writes in his preface, the book "is valuable to us because it is at once practical and philosophical."

Fossil fuels and livestock grazing are often targeted as major culprits behind climate change and desertification. But Allan Savory, cofounder of the Savory Institute, begs to differ. The bigger problem, he warns, is our mismanagement of resources. Livestock grazing is not the problem; it's how we graze livestock. If we don't change the way we approach land management, irreparable harm from climate change could continue long after we replace fossil fuels.

5 out of 5 stars

Everyone should read this!

By
Eric
on
12-05-18

Start Your Farm

The Authoritative Guide to Becoming a Sustainable 21st Century Farm

By:
Forrest Pritchard,
Ellen Polishuk

Narrated by:
Stephen Bel Davies,
Coleen Marlo

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
16

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
14

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
14

More than a practical guide, Start Your Farm is a hopeful call to action for anyone who aspires to grow wholesome, environmentally sustainable food for a living. Take it from Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk: Making this dream a reality is not for the faint of heart, but it's well within reach - and there's no greater satisfaction under the sun.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

By
Anonymous User
on
11-07-18

The Soil Will Save Us

How Scientists, Farmers, and Ranchers Are Tending the Soil to Reverse Global Warming

By:
Kristin Ohlson

Narrated by:
Dina Pearlman

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
404

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
359

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
353

In
The Soil Will Save Us, journalist and bestselling author Kristin Ohlson makes an elegantly argued, passionate case for "our great green hope"—a way in which we can not only heal the land but also turn atmospheric carbon into beneficial soil carbon—and potentially reverse global warming. Her discoveries and vivid storytelling will revolutionize the way we think about our food, our landscapes, our plants, and our relationship to Earth.

5 out of 5 stars

Superb science, storytelling, and narration voice

By
Michael Dowd
on
09-20-14

The Hidden Half of Nature

The Microbial Roots of Life and Health

By:
David R. Montgomery,
Anne Bikle

Narrated by:
LJ Ganser

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
393

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
350

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
350

A riveting exploration of how microbes are transforming the way we see nature and ourselves - and could revolutionize agriculture and medicine. Prepare to set aside what you think you know about yourself and microbes. Good health - for people and for plants - depends on Earth's smallest creatures.
The Hidden Half of Nature tells the story of our tangled relationship with microbes and their potential to revolutionize agriculture and medicine, from garden to gut.

5 out of 5 stars

A perfect introduction to microbiology

By
Ary Shalizi
on
02-17-17

Dirt to Soil

One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture

By:
Gabe Brown

Narrated by:
Gabe Brown

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
44

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
37

Story

5 out of 5 stars
37

In Dirt to Soil, Gabe Brown tells the story of his ranch's amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to our most pressing and complex contemporary agricultural challenge - restoring the soil. The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over 20 years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil.

5 out of 5 stars

A very important book!

By
Vas
on
12-15-18

The One-Straw Revolution

An Introduction to Natural Farming

By:
Masanobu Fukuoka,
Larry Korn

Narrated by:
David Shih

Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
121

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
112

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
110

Call it "Zen and the Art of Farming" or a "Little Green Book", Masanobu Fukuoka's manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food. At the same time, it is a spiritual memoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects a deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. As Wendell Berry writes in his preface, the book "is valuable to us because it is at once practical and philosophical."

Fossil fuels and livestock grazing are often targeted as major culprits behind climate change and desertification. But Allan Savory, cofounder of the Savory Institute, begs to differ. The bigger problem, he warns, is our mismanagement of resources. Livestock grazing is not the problem; it's how we graze livestock. If we don't change the way we approach land management, irreparable harm from climate change could continue long after we replace fossil fuels.

5 out of 5 stars

Everyone should read this!

By
Eric
on
12-05-18

Start Your Farm

The Authoritative Guide to Becoming a Sustainable 21st Century Farm

By:
Forrest Pritchard,
Ellen Polishuk

Narrated by:
Stephen Bel Davies,
Coleen Marlo

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
16

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
14

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
14

More than a practical guide, Start Your Farm is a hopeful call to action for anyone who aspires to grow wholesome, environmentally sustainable food for a living. Take it from Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk: Making this dream a reality is not for the faint of heart, but it's well within reach - and there's no greater satisfaction under the sun.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

By
Anonymous User
on
11-07-18

The Soil Will Save Us

How Scientists, Farmers, and Ranchers Are Tending the Soil to Reverse Global Warming

By:
Kristin Ohlson

Narrated by:
Dina Pearlman

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
404

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
359

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
353

In
The Soil Will Save Us, journalist and bestselling author Kristin Ohlson makes an elegantly argued, passionate case for "our great green hope"—a way in which we can not only heal the land but also turn atmospheric carbon into beneficial soil carbon—and potentially reverse global warming. Her discoveries and vivid storytelling will revolutionize the way we think about our food, our landscapes, our plants, and our relationship to Earth.

5 out of 5 stars

Superb science, storytelling, and narration voice

By
Michael Dowd
on
09-20-14

The Hidden Half of Nature

The Microbial Roots of Life and Health

By:
David R. Montgomery,
Anne Bikle

Narrated by:
LJ Ganser

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
393

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
350

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
350

A riveting exploration of how microbes are transforming the way we see nature and ourselves - and could revolutionize agriculture and medicine. Prepare to set aside what you think you know about yourself and microbes. Good health - for people and for plants - depends on Earth's smallest creatures.
The Hidden Half of Nature tells the story of our tangled relationship with microbes and their potential to revolutionize agriculture and medicine, from garden to gut.

5 out of 5 stars

A perfect introduction to microbiology

By
Ary Shalizi
on
02-17-17

The Market Gardener

A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming

By:
Jean-Martin Fortier

Narrated by:
Diego Footer

Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
159

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
140

Story

5 out of 5 stars
140

Growing on just one and a half acres, owners Jean-Martin and Maude-Helène feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands and supply their signature mesclun salad mix to dozens of local establishments. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods they've developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process.

4 out of 5 stars

Not that great for Home Gardener

By
Joseph
on
08-18-17

The Lean Farm

How to Minimize Waste, Increase Efficiency, and Maximize Value and Profits with Less Work

By:
Ben Hartman

Narrated by:
Robert David Grant

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
35

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
32

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
32

By explaining the lean system for identifying and eliminating waste and introducing efficiency in every aspect of the farm operation, The Lean Farm makes the case that small-scale farming can be an attractive career option for young people who are interested in growing food for their community. Working smarter, not harder, also prevents the kind of burnout that start-up farmers often encounter in the face of long, hard, backbreaking labor. Lean principles grew out of the Japanese automotive industry, but they are now being followed by progressive farms around the world....

4 out of 5 stars

informative a good listen

By
Ifish4eyes
on
07-29-18

A Soil Owner's Manual

How to Restore and Maintain Soil Health

By:
Jon Stika

Narrated by:
Greg Young

Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
22

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
21

Story

4 out of 5 stars
21

A Soil Owner's Manual: How to Restore and Maintain Soil Health is about restoring the capacity of your soil to perform all the functions it was intended to perform. This book is not another fanciful guide on how to continuously manipulate and amend your soil to try and keep it productive. This book will change the way you think about and manage your soil.

5 out of 5 stars

Must read regardless of Agriculture involvement

By
Jeffrey
on
02-02-18

Dirt

The Erosion of Civilizations

By:
David R. Montgomery

Narrated by:
Tim Lundeen

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
16

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
11

Story

5 out of 5 stars
12

Dirt, soil, call it what you want, it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are, and have long been, using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations.

5 out of 5 stars

Will forever change the way I farm.

By
Emeline
on
10-05-18

Gaining Ground

A Story of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm

By:
Forrest Pritchard

Narrated by:
Roger Wayne

Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
992

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
907

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
906

One fateful day in 1996, after discovering that five freight cars' worth of glittering corn have reaped a tiny profit of $18.16, young Forrest Pritchard vows to save his family's farm. What ensues-through hilarious encounters with all manner of livestock and colorful local characters-is a crash course in sustainable agriculture. Pritchard's biggest ally is his renegade father, who initially questions his son's career choice and rejects organic foods for sugary mainstream fare.

5 out of 5 stars

Loved it! I wanted it to go on further

By
Sweetbay
on
01-12-14

Farmacology

Total Health from the Ground Up

By:
Daphne Miller MD

Narrated by:
Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
35

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
29

Story

5 out of 5 stars
29

Can urban farms reduce neighborhood crime? These may not sound like typical questions for a family physician to consider, but in Farmacology, Daphne Miller, MD, ventures out of her medical office and travels to seven innovative family farms around the country on a quest to discover the hidden connections between how we care for our bodies and how we grow our food. Miller also seeks out the perspectives of noted biomedical scientists and artfully weaves in their research, along with stories from her own practice. Farmacology offers a profound new approach to healing.

5 out of 5 stars

This book is REMARKABLE! Life changing!

By
Amazon Customer
on
12-11-18

Folks, This Ain't Normal

A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World

By:
Joel Salatin

Narrated by:
Joel Salatin

Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,516

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,388

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,384

From farmer Joel Salatin's point of view, life in the 21st century just ain't normal. In
Folks, This Ain't Normal, he discusses how far removed we are from the simple, sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love.

5 out of 5 stars

Awakened me from my ingnorance

By
matthew
on
05-27-12

The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs

Respecting and Caring for All God's Creation

By:
Joel Salatin

Narrated by:
Joel Salatin

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
428

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
395

Story

5 out of 5 stars
393

Joel Salatin is perhaps the nation's best known farmer, whose environmentally friendly, sustainable Polyface Farms has been featured in
Food, Inc. and
Time magazine. Now, in his first audiobook written for a faith audience, Salatin offers a deeply personal argument for earth stewardship and calls for fellow Christians to join him in looking to the Bible for a foodscape in line with spiritual truth.

5 out of 5 stars

Non-Christian listener who found it very enjoyable

By
Shawn C.
on
07-05-16

Mini Farming

Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre

By:
Brett L. Markham

Narrated by:
Christopher Solimene

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
31

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
28

Story

4 out of 5 stars
28

Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family's food on just a quarter acre - and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.

3 out of 5 stars

Almost unlistenable

By
Laureen
on
02-23-18

Defending Beef

The Case for Sustainable Meat Production

By:
Nicolette Hahn Niman

Narrated by:
Nicolette Hahn Niman

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
6

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
5

Story

4 out of 5 stars
5

For decades, it has been nearly universal dogma among environmentalists and health advocates that cattle and beef are public enemy number one. But is the matter really so clear? Hardly, argues environmental lawyer turned rancher Nicolette Hahn Niman in her new book, Defending Beef. The public has long been led to believe that livestock, especially cattle, erode soils, pollute air and water, damage riparian areas, and decimate wildlife populations. In Defending Beef, Hahn Niman argues that cattle are not inherently bad for either the Earth or our own nutritional health.

1 out of 5 stars

Misinformation

By
Dawn Marie Weber
on
11-19-18

Miraculous Abundance

One Quarter Acre, Two French Farmers, and Enough Food to Feed the World

By:
Perrine Hervé-Gruyer,
Charles Hervé-Gruyer

Narrated by:
Tim Bruce

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
27

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
24

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
24

When Charles and Perrine Hervé-Gruyer set out to create their farm in an historic Normandy village, they had no idea just how much their lives would change. Neither one had ever farmed before. Charles had been circumnavigating the globe by sail, operating a floating school that taught students about ecology and indigenous cultures. Perrine had been an international lawyer in Japan. Each had returned to France to start a new life.

5 out of 5 stars

Nice book

By
Ganesh
on
02-08-18

Cows Save the Planet

And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth

By:
Judith D. Schwartz

Narrated by:
Judith D. Schwartz

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
20

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
19

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
19

In Cows Save the Planet, journalist Judith D. Schwartz looks at soil as a crucible for our many overlapping environmental, economic, and social crises. Schwartz reveals that for many of these problems - climate change, desertification, biodiversity loss, droughts, floods, wildfires, rural poverty, malnutrition, and obesity - there are positive, alternative scenarios to the degradation and devastation we face. In each case, our ability to turn these crises into opportunities depends on how we treat the soil. Drawing on the work of thinkers and doers, renegade scientists and institutional whistleblowers from around the world, Schwartz challenges much of the conventional thinking about global warming and other problems. For example, land can suffer from undergrazing as well as overgrazing, since certain landscapes, such as grasslands, require the disturbance from livestock to thrive.

5 out of 5 stars

Wow!

By
Benjamin
on
09-26-18

Publisher's Summary

The problem of agriculture is as old as civilization. Throughout history, great societies that abused their land withered into poverty or disappeared entirely. Now we risk repeating this ancient story on a global scale due to ongoing soil degradation, a changing climate, and a rising population. But there is reason for hope. David R. Montgomery introduces us to farmers around the world at the heart of a brewing soil health revolution that could bring humanity's ailing soil back to life remarkably fast.

Growing a Revolution draws on visits to farms in the industrialized world and developing world to show that a new combination of farming practices can deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions to problems farmers face today. Montgomery explores why practices based on the principles of conservation agriculture help restore soil health and fertility. In addition, he discusses how these practices translate into farms that use less water, generate less pollution, and lower carbon emissions. Combining ancient wisdom with modern science, Growing a Revolution lays out a solid case for an inspiring vision where agriculture becomes the solution to environmental problems.

Critic Reviews

"Montgomery's fascinating exposé of how our food is grown will convince readers that soil health should not remain an under-the-radar issue and that we all benefit from embracing a new philosophy of farming." (
Kirkus)

An ecological educational treasure!

What did you love best about Growing a Revolution?

This book is the best of the genre I have ever read. The complete story of the critical aspects of returning carbon to the soil and protecting soil fertility and the situation we are in nowwhich is destroying good soil at an unprecedented rate.This book is important for ecologists as well as farm and food individuals and groups and activists.our soil its our foundation and physical and mental health depends on food nutrientsI suggest this book to anyone wanting to understand the broad spectrum of soil fertility and food protection and also the critical need for us to all contribute to reversing the soil through diligence and networking

A little dry. A little repetitive. 100% worth it.

I'm not sure there's a narrator out there that could make soil health sound particularly captivating, and however dry, the book's message has to be repetitive to get through to us. So, the narrator may sound a little dry and the book may seem to repeat a lot, but I think both are necessary evils to really push the importance of soil health in modern agriculture. Overall a great audio book. I think this book is enhanced in audio form, because you can gloss over every now and then when it's no your cup of tea (especially the more scientific jargon-y areas), but not lose interest. I'm not an active farmer, but hope to become one soon. No matter what, though, this book opened my eyes to the reality that is soil health, and that makes all the difference.

Amazing data is reported well.

This information could save many farms, those farms' soils, and ecosystems containing those farms from the current standard practices of supplementing soils with deleterious additives. The data is in. Let us regenerate soils.

Note there is a regenerative organic certification being developed by the Rodale Institute with the NSF.